


One Last Kiss

by BroadwayBelle



Category: Fosse/Verdon (TV)
Genre: F/M, Kissing, Marriage, Partnership, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-20
Updated: 2019-10-20
Packaged: 2020-12-27 03:04:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 881
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21111632
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BroadwayBelle/pseuds/BroadwayBelle
Summary: After working together all weekend, a director and his ingenue struggle to say goodbye.





	One Last Kiss

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first of what could be many stories posted to the archive. Given that I am writing about real characters, names are not used outright but are rather mentioned in the character section of the story.
> 
> It's the result of my latest obsession with the Fosse/Verdon legacy, having read biographies on both partners, the story is meant to be a natural add on to a scene from the first episode of the FX miniseries 'Fosse/Verdon'.

Tucked away in the corner of a rehearsal studio in Munich stood the director and his ingénue. Desperate for assistance, the gentleman humbled himself to call his star player once more to save the day.

The electricity in the studio was palpable, she brought it with her when she arrived over the weekend, armed with a bag of tricks and ideas to steer the project – a World War II musical – in the right direction.

“What did I ever do to deserve to you?” he laughed, stealing her away for himself after her latest moment of heroism. Only she would offer to fly around the world and back to bring back him a lifelike gorilla costume, one of the final pieces of the film’s puzzle.

“You know I don’t know,” she laughed, blushing under the hard earned praise. The words fell out of her mouth so easily, as if she was only going around the block to pick up a quick dinner for the cast and crew. The truth of the matter was that she would do anything for him.

“Hey,” he gently coaxed her, touching her left shoulder. “Thank you.”

She looked into his icy blue eyes. His recognition was so rare she still wasn’t used to hearing it out loud. “You don’t need to thank me,” she whispered, attempting to brush off the moment.

“I couldn’t do this without you,” he insisted, refusing to let her off the hook. “This whole weekend, you…”

“I gave advice, a suggestion here and there,” she finished, once again downplaying her act.

“We both know that’s not true. How many other wives would fly across the world on a moment’s notice?”

“The scenery in Munich is lovely,” she teased.

“When you come back I’ll give you a tour of the whole city.”

“When I come back,” she echoed, looking at him knowingly as she slipped her jacket over her body. It was a warning, alluding to a sensitive topic that had plagued them both for years.

He reached for her cheek, a gentle caress that told her how repentant he was. “I know, I promise.” He didn’t press her for details or offer any more of an explanation.

“Okay.” Closing the gap between them, she leaned in for a parting goodbye kiss, a peck on the mouth before leaving.

“Hey,” he stopped her as she pulled away. “We won’t be seeing each other for a whole weekend.”

“We can catch up when I come back – with the costume.”

He shook his head. “I think we should have a proper three day kiss goodbye.”

The ingénue bit her lower lip, questioning his request. “I don’t think I know what that is,” she said slowly.

A low chuckle escaped from his mouth. “What we had, was more of a ‘hello’ kiss, quick and perfunctory.”

“What sort of a kiss did you have in mind?”

“Well, there’s a ‘congratulation kiss,” he prompted pulling her into his arms.

“Long and satisfying,” she murmured. “There could be an ‘I need you kiss’.” Putting her hands to his cheeks, she brought her lips to his in a sense of urgency.

“Now you’re getting the hang of it,” he laughed. “How about an ‘I’m sorry kiss’.” He brought his nose to hers and gently nuzzled the area. “I should have invited you out here sooner.”

A small smile formed on her mouth. “There’s the ‘I’m there for you kiss’,” she prompted, placing a chaste kiss on his forehead. “And you don’t need to apologize.”

Pausing to brush a lock of hair of her eyes, he leaned in ever so gently, slowly deepening his mouth on hers. “I need you.”

She slowly pushed his chest away from her, needing air to breathe. “How many kisses was that?”

“One more,” he begged, dipping her backwards. “Thank you.” Carefully helping her plant her feet on the ground, he straightened her coat. “That should last us at least three days.”

“Until we meet again. Should I call you with the gorilla? In case you don’t like it?”

He shook his head. “I trust you completely. Whatever you find will be better than the piece of junk we were working with earlier.”

“Be nice,” she warned. “You catch more flies with honey than you do vinegar.”

“My honey is leaving. That earns me one more kiss.”

She shook her head. “You are insatiable,” she teased, playfully pulling away.

“Only when it comes to you.”

She opened her mouth to speak a retort, challenging his allegiance to her but thought the better of it. “We’d better make it last,” she purred, placing her hand to his chest.

He slowly lifted her off the ground, causing her to move her arm to his neck for support. He tilted his face up to kiss her soulfully. “Now this is a three day kiss,” he laughed, satisfied.

“You’re going to need to put me down – I’ll miss the flight back to New York, I…”

“Go,” he ordered, placing her on the ground. “Before I change my mind.” He placed his hands in his pockets as he watched her go with a small wave. What neither one of them knew at the time, was that the kisses that they shared would be the last ones between them for over a year.


End file.
